ArtistsNetwork.com 57complicated. Some methods of paint-
ing, such as pouring, require masking,
as it’s virtually impossible to control
the fl ow of color well enough to save
the selected areas without fi rst cover-
ing them.
weapon: Nichiban 251 masking tape.
Th is rice paper tape was developed for
architects and designers who apply
diluted washes of color over their
architectural renderings. When posi-
tioned properly, the tape doesn’t
permit leaks, peels up easily without
damaging the surface and, when
applied over paint, doesn’t lift the
color the way that liquid masks do.
Because the tape is very sheer, it’s
easy to cut it with an X-Acto knife. In
fact, this tape is so wafer-thin that it
won’t leak along taped edges that
overlap one another. It’s also trans-
parent, so pencil lines or painted color
edges are visible through the tape.
Best of all, it’s easy to apply: Cut
your tape to fi t and put it down,
overlapping the already applied
mask. Cover the pencil line or colored
edge with the opposite side of the
tape and then trim away the excess.
Use a squeegee or a credit card to
ensure that the tape and mask are
affi xed tightly.When considering
masking options, there’s
an assortment of prod-
ucts from which to
choose: masking fl uids,
fi lms and wax resist. (See
“Let the White Shine,” on
page 58.) My preference
is to use a variety of
masking options. For
small, irregular areas,
it’s faster to use masking
fl uid than to cut around
the shapes. For larger
areas, I prefer to use
either airbrush stencil or
sign transfer tape. I fi nd
that cutting this masking
about ¼-inch smaller
than the area I plan to
cover is key, because these materials
will sometimes leak at the edges.AN EDGY SOLUTION
To prevent such leaks when working
with masking fi lm, I turn to my secret